‘This punishes 150M+ users’: Telegram CEO hits out at India's NEET-linked ban

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has criticised the government's temporary restriction on the messaging platform ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination, arguing that the move affects millions of legitimate users without stopping those responsible for exam-related leaks.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Durov said the ban unfairly targets regular users of the platform.

“India’s IT ministry banned Telegram for one week because some users shared leaked exam questions. This punishes 150M+ ordinary Telegram users in India — not the insiders who leaked the exam materials,” he wrote.

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Durov further claimed that the restriction has not solved the problem. “And the ban hasn't stopped anything. The leaks just moved to other apps.”

NTA uncovers Telegram-based scam networks

The criticism comes days before the NEET-UG re-examination scheduled for June 21. The National Testing Agency (NTA) recently said it had uncovered a large-scale scam network operating through Telegram.

In a video message, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said fraudsters were running two separate rackets targeting students preparing for the re-exam.

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According to the agency, several Telegram channels were demanding anywhere between Rs 14,000 and Rs 25,000, and in some cases as much as Rs 10 lakh, claiming they could provide access to the re-exam question paper.

“There is no leaked paper for the re-exam. The money is gone the moment you transfer it. Your admit card and WhatsApp number, if you sent them, become the tools they use to scam the next student," Singh had said.

Concerns over message editing feature

The NTA also warned students about misleading "proof" videos circulating online. The agency explained how Telegram's message-editing feature can be used to alter older messages while retaining their original timestamps.

“On Telegram, whoever runs a channel can edit any old message AND change what's inside it, while the date on the message stays the same. So a message edited on the 4th can be made to look exactly like it was sent on the 1st.”

IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti also demonstrated how edited messages and timestamps could be used to create false claims of paper leaks.

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Government action and criticism

Following the NTA's recommendations, the government directed Google and Apple to delist Telegram from their app stores until June 22. Android users attempting to download the app now see a message stating that it is unavailable, while reports suggest new account activations on iPhones have also been affected.

The government is also reportedly in talks with Telegram over temporarily disabling the message-editing feature until June 30.

The Internet Freedom Foundation criticised the move, calling it a “band aid solution and is a disproportionate answer to exam fraud.” The organisation described the nationwide restriction as “blunt” and “constitutionally incompatible”, arguing that existing legal provisions allow authorities to block specific content rather than an entire platform.

Meanwhile, the NTA has assured students that strict measures are being taken to ensure a fair examination process on June 21.

"We will not let anything go wrong. We will take all possible actions to ensure that the examination is conducted without any malpractice," the NTA director told PTI.

FAQs:

Why was Telegram temporarily restricted in India?

The move was linked to efforts to curb alleged exam leak scams ahead of the NEET-UG re-exam.

What did Telegram CEO Pavel Durov say about the ban?

He said the restriction punishes ordinary users and that leaks simply moved to other apps.